2024 Story Collection

The Merman in the Mountain Pond

It's a full moon tonight. Theo noticed as he broke through the surface of the pond.

He looks around him. He could see everything as clear as day under the bright full moon. The small body of water sat in a large meadow surrounded by trees. Those trees covered the base of the mountains that stood high above him. Their presence as intimidating as their age. Near the water sat the small cabin he built himself a few months ago.

He was really here. He had finally done it. He'd finally saved enough to buy some land and build a cabin near the water. He didn't have to deal with the foster system anymore. He didn't have to deal with getting laid off at another restaurant. He could just be. He was free.

He dips back below the surface and swims into the deep caverns below. The small pond was much deeper than it appeared from above. It connected to all sorts of underwater caves. He'd only explored a few, but they went on for miles. It was as if a giant tree had dug out the spaces with its roots, then left and as water collected, it filled the mold.

It was a more than he could've ever dreamed of. He couldn't have imagined he'd get so lucky. It was an old sign, off a small highway with a number written in ball-point pen, but he'd called. The old man had met him for breakfast at a small diner on the edge of town and told him about the property. Theo was sold when the old man mentioned the pond. He'd wanted to see it, but it was winter at the time, so he couldn't get up there till some of the snow melted.

The old man had asked what Theo had wanted to do with the land. When Theo had shown the man his sketches for the cabin, the man had smiled. As they talked more, the man told him he'd lower the price so long as Theo promised to live and enjoy the land for his life and pass it on to someone who would protect its beauty and enjoy it just as much. Theo easily agreed. The price was good and so was the location. So, he trusted the old man and bought it.

The old man's description had not done land justice. It was also 100 acres, not 10. He owned the whole valley. The small pond was actually a lot larger than the old man said as well, but he couldn't complain. He felt as if, for the first time in his life, things were working out for him.

He sat on a rock in a shallower part of the water, relaxing. Thanking God for his luck.

Splash

He looks up to see a person sinking in the water above him. He shakes his head in disbelief. He stays there for a moment in shock before racing to them and pulling them up to the surface and onto the small dock near the cabin.

He pushes the long blond hair from her face. It's a woman. She chokes and begins coughing up water.

She was thin and lanky, but undeniably beautiful. Her skin was tanned and her face round. She had thin lips and a small nose. Her eyes were a grey-blue. Her oversized t-shirt clung to her thin frame, her old worn tennis shoes were soaked as well.

She looks around for a moment, confused. Before they finally make eye contact. They stare at eachother for a few moments, before her eyes wonder over his body. He had never felt so exposed.

"A merman," she says, not nearly as shocked as she should be.

---

Anna looks around frantically. Trying to make sense of everything. What had happened? Where was she?

Memories begin to flood her mind. The diagnosis, her packing and running away, her car running out of gas on an old mountain road, her hiking up an unknown path, her finding herself on the edge of the pond; her deciding that this was a good place to die and jumping in.

Just then, she makes eye contact with someone-or something that sat beside her. His eyes are so black and glassy she can she her own reflection in them.

She looked down and saw that he was more serpent than man.

His hair was long and black, which contrasted his pale, almost translucent skin. His tail was a black scaly thing that had soft wisps that came from it instead of sharp fins, like she'd expected. Scales covered his tail up to his hips and up his arms just past his elbows. His fingers were something foreign, long and sharp like blades. His body was thick with muscle, his arm looked the size of her head, his shoulders twice as wide as her own. His face was sharp and angled, his lips were quite plump. Her eyes lingered on them for a moment.

"Are you okay?" his voice was deeper than any bass she's heard. She gets a glimpse of his teeth-long thin pointy things-as he speaks.

He was nothing like what you'd expect a merman to look like based on popular fiction. Most fiction had depicted mermen to be soft and feminine. Whereas he was strong and manly.

"A merman," she says, her voice horse from almost drowning.

"Are you real?" she asks, reaching a hand to caress his cheek.

"Yes," he replies, then hesitates as she places her hand on his cheek. He seems to unconsciously lean into her touch. "Do I not scare you?"

"No," she says as she gently caresses his face. "I have no reason to fear anything anymore." She says, not hiding the sadness in her voice.

"Everyone fears something," he says, a question in his eyes.

"I fear death." She replies. "But once you know your life's expiration date, even that fear leaves you."

He flinches back at her words. She let's her hand fall away from his face.

To be continued...

January 4, 2023